Radiator-valve.



No. 677,55l. Patented my 2, |901.

E. P. ALLEN. v

RADIATOR VALVE.

(Application filed Apr. 30, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Hmmm-IHNEN HIIHIIIIIII s ro. wmaumo.. wAsmNsrcm D c UNITED STAT-Es PATENT FFICE.

EVERETT P. ALLEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM C. HILL,

or SAME PLACE.

RADIATOR-VALVE.

sradirearrow forming part of Letters Patent Nia-677,551, dated. July 2, 1901.

Application filed April so, 190e.

o @ZZ whom, it' 77mg/ omwerm Be it known that I, EVERETT P. ALLEN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Radiator-Valves; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full,v clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to thev accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedv thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to air-valves for radiators of that class comprising a hollow casing, a float, a valve, and a thermostatic strip or member. f

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and pointed ont in the accompanying claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section through an air-valve, as hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a transverseV section through the air-valve, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, A is a hollow base, and E an upper chamber forming with the base a closed casing. This upper chamber may be of any desired form. As shown, it is dome-shaped and is referred to herein as the dome7 A plug F is inserted in the upper portion of said dome, having an orifice j", constituting an air-outlet. Said orifice is provided with a valve-seat f.

D is a valve-closure consisting of a valve proper, d, fitted to close on the valve-seat f, and a stem d. As shown, the valve d and stem d', constituting the valve-closure, are integral; but I contemplate forming them separately in use. A iioat K and a thermostatic strip I constitute means for operating the valve. A protecting-cap G is removably secured over the plug F, said cap having orifices g g. A connecting-nipple a is provided by which the whole structure may be secured to the radiator and steam admitted thereby.

The operation of the device described is like that of other similar valves heretofore used and will be readily understood. It the radiator be cold, the air -outlet f remains open. On the entrance of the steam the exsefin No. 14,1913. (Nomina pansion of the thermostatic stri p I pushes the' valve d to its seat f, thereby closing the airoutlet f. It' Water enters, it raises the iioat K, which likewise actuates the valve-closure D and seals the air-outletf.

Reference will now be made to the special features of construction constituting my improvement'and the distinct and important advantages gained by their use.

Directly opposite the nipple ct is a chamber a3, formedl by the extension of the base-walls a4 and connectinglwith the base by the opening a?. Within thischamber is a coiled thermostatic strip I, fastened at its inner or coiled end to the square pin H, which is secured in the walls a4 of the chamber. The free end of said strip I extends through the opening a7 to the center of the base A. A diaphragm C, having orifices c' to permit the free passage of steam and water into the dome E, is secured between the base A and the dome E. As shown, said diaphragm is held between the inner flange as on the wall t4 of the base and the end of the dome E, which has screwthreaded connection with the upper portion of the base. Said diaphragm has a central aperture c2, through which the valve-stem d passes and in which it is free to move and which forms a guide acting to maintain the lower end of said stem in position for contact with the upper side of the free end of the thermostatic strip I. The said diaphragm also serves to hold the valve-stem upright and the valve-closure always in position for accurate engagement with its seat. rigidly fastened to the upper portionof the Valve-stem d', which passes through it, and it is thereby held from contact with the wall of the dome E. A vertical division-wall ct is arranged between the nipple ct and the center of the base A. A horizontal extension a5 from its top to the nearest portion of the wall al forms a separate compartment a9 in the base A. An aperture a6 in this extension communicates with the dome E, and a tube B, of considerably smaller external diameter than the internal diameter of the nipple a, leads through the division-wall ct to a point beyond the out-er end of the nipple a.

I will now indicate the advantages gained by these specialforms of construction. In

The iioat K is IOO the operation of valves of this description as hitherto made, so far as known to me, the water, entering the nipple a! and rising in the base A, frequently seals the nipple a against the entrance of the steam. By the arrangement of the cross-walls ct and a5 and the tube B and the Orice a6 the steam readily passes into the dome E and forces the water ont through the tube B, and the valve is thus effectually cleared.

In valves heretofore made the oat K by contact with the walls of the dome E and the collection of water between them by capillary action is liable under some circumstances to seal the air-outlet f against the free passage of the air, and various channels and passages have been required and used to admit the steam above the iioat K. The necessity Of these devices is obviated by the construction shown,wl1ereby contact between the oat and dome is prevented in all positions of the valve shown.

In the constructions' hitherto made, so far as known to me, the form of strip used has not allowed any considerable freedom or ease of motion in the Valve-stem. It is Often desired to Open the valve temporarily to ascertain if steam has entered the casing, and this is done by thrusting a pin or like implement against the upper end of the valve-plug, so as to throw it away from its seat. The Opening of the valve in this manner can be accomplished with little pressure in the construction shown, by reason of the great degree of iiexibility possessed by the thermostatic strip, by reason of its great length, made possible by its spiral form. The large surface exposed by this helical form of the thermostatic strip makes it very sensitive tO the heat of the steam and insures positive and quick action Of the valve.

The principal objection to valves hitherto constructed, so far as known tO me, is the iin-V peding of the passage of steam Or air in the base or in the chamber into which the steaminlet opens by the location therein of the thermostatic strip. By placing said strip in a chamber exterior tO said base and remote from said steam-inlet free ingress and egress for the steam and air are obtained and the valve as a whole made more efticient and prompt in its action.

An important feature of my invention is embraced in the construction by which the chamber for the thermostatic strip is arranged on the side of the casing opposite the steaminlet, so that the entering steam will enter the chamber and impinge on the strip within the same. This construction affords the ad-A vantage that the strip is heated when the steam rst enters the casing, so that the airvalve will be certainly closed before the steam reaches said air-valve and before any considl erable steam can escape from said valve.

I claim as my invention- In a radiator-Valve, the combination of a casing comprising a -dome and a base, said base being provided with a vertical partition dividing it into a steam-inlet chamber and a chamber for the return of the water of condensation and also with a thermostatic chamber communicating with the last-named chamber, an air-valve, and a thermostat secured within the thermostatic chamber and adapted to Operate said air-valve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afIiX my signature, in presence Of two witnesses, this 17th day of April, A. D. 1900.

EVERETT P. ALLEN.

i/Vitnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, TAYLOR E. BROWN. 

